Tire gauge installation



Oct. 23, 1951 E. M T 2,572,369

TIRE GAUGE INSTALLATION Filed Aug. 4, 1947 INVENTOR. EMERY A. MITCHELL BY .a zwfw Patented Oct. 23, 1951 TIRE GAUGE INSTALLATION Emery A. Mitchell, Richmond, Calif., assignor of one-fourth to Edward G. Bellamy and onefourth to John W. Harris, both of Richmond,

Calif.

Application August 4, 1947, Serial No. 765,842

3 Claims.

My invention relates to tire gauges, and more particularly to permanent tire gauge installations on automotive vehicles. 7

Among the obyects of my invention are:

(1) To provide a novel, and improved tire gauge installation for automotive vehicles;

(2) To provide a novel and improved tire gauge installation for automotive vehicles, which shall be simple in design and installation;

(3) To provide a novel and improved tire gauge installation for automotive vehicles, which is capable of accurate adjustment;

(4) To provide a novel and improved tire gauge installation for automotive vehicles, which will respond quickly to changes in air pressure of tires on such vehicle.

Additional objects of my invention will be brought out in the following description of a preferred embodiment of the same, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein- Figure 1 is a fragmentary view in section through the pertinent portion of a rear axle and wheel assembly of an automotive vehicle, illustrating an installation of my invention in its preferred form;

Figure 2 is a view in section through the axle and wheel assembly of Figure 1 taken in the plane 2-2, and including a gauge adapted for mounting on the dashboard of a vehicle;

Figure 3 is a view in section taken in the plane 3-3 of Figure 1.

For details of my' invention in its preferred form, reference will be had to the accompanying drawings wherein I have illustrated the invention as embodied in a rear axle and wheel assembly of conventional design.

Such assembly includes an axle l within an axle housing 3, the axle carrying at its extremity, a wheel which includes a hub 5 on which is mounted a wheel disk I and a brake drum 9. The wheel disk carries a rim II for receiving the tire l3 of the pneumatic type which includes an inner tube I5, while the brake drum is closed by a cap II carried by the axle housing and forming an enclosure for the brake bands l9.

In applying the invention to the above type of construction, an axle housing chamber 2| is created by a pair of partitions 23 and 25 encircling the axle within the housing in spaced relationship to each other. This may be accomplished by removing a section of the axle housing, forming each partition by a pair of spaced supporting walls 21 and 29 encircling the lower portion of the axle and aflixed to the axle housing as by Welding at spaced points. Between these supporting walls, there is inserted a ringshaped seal 3| of any suitable sealing compound or material. The partitions are then completed by a cap 33 closing the opening in the axle housing and having depending seal-supporting walls 35 forming a complementary fit with the corresponding supporting Walls in the lower portion of the axle housing. The chamber thus created is adapted to hold liquid.

A liquid communication connection 31 is pro-- vided between this chamber and a pressure indicator 39- adapted for mounting on the dashboard of the vehicle. Such indicator may be of simple. construction involving a panel board 4| providedi with a longitudinal slot 43 therethrough and having a liquid column tube 45 mounted behind. the panel board in line with the slot. The liquid column tube may be graduated in terms of tire: pressure by suitable markings 41 on the panel& board alongside the slot.

The liquid communication connection between the chamber and the indicator is provided by a. flexible tube 49 coupled at one end to a fitting: 5| on the chamber cap and at its other end), to the indicator.

By altering the efiective volume of the chamber in response to changes in air pressure in the tire tube, the indicator on the dashboard may be made to indicate such changes promptly and accurately. Such changes in the effective volume of the chamber may be realized by placing therein an inflatable sack 53 and connecting the same to the inner tube of the tire in such a manner as not to interfere with rotational movement of the wheel.

The inflatable sack may take the form of a doughnut-shaped tube adapted to be sprung around the axle. In effecting its connection to. the tire tube, I provide an axial passage 55. through the axle from the wheel-supporting end to the point at which the doughnut-shaped tube is positioned, and the inflatable tube is connected. to such passage by a suitable fitting.

At the wheel-mounting end of the axle, I pro-. vide a T-fitting 51, one arm 59 of which is connected to the valve stem 6| of the inner tube, while the other arm 63 of the T connection houses the conventional type Shrader valve. This arrangement leaves the inner tube of the tire continuous unobstructed connection to the inflatable doughnut-shaped tube in the axle housing chamber, while at the same time permitting air to be pumped into the inner tube as and when 7.

3 necessary Without disturbing the rest of the set-up.

Whatever liquid is employed in the chamber to the indicator, the same may be introduced into the chamber through .a fitting 65 in the chamber cover. Through this means, the reading level ofthe liquidin. the indicator may-be determinedfor accurate readings.

It will be apparent from the above description of my invention in its preferred form, that thesame fulfills all the objects previously recited therefor, and while I have disclosed such preferred embodiment in considerablezedetajhl'z not desire to be limited in my: protectiomtosuch details, except as may be necessitated by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a vehicle having an axle, an axle housing enclosing said axle, a wheel on said axle-anding, for. holding liquid; said means-including: a2.

pair of partitionsuencircling said axler-withinssaidi housing. in spaced relationships toieach other; a pressure. indicator. adaptable forimounting on the. dashboardof; such.veliicle;. meanszproviding a: liquid communication connection; betweeni said pressure indicator and said axle housingicham ber said meanseincludingi a. flexible tuba coupled at one end to said pressurelindicator-and'ait its other end to: the axles-housing" ataapointzbetsreen the positions of said spaced partitions;- and means; responsive to, changes in air press-drain said pneumatic tire for. altering theefiecitive volume. of said axlerhousingychamber:to.:.correespondingly; indicate on said indicator; changes in pressure occurringdn saiditire; said'air pres-i sure change responsiveimeanslincluding aniniiat able tube encirclingi-saidaxleWithin said; chamber. and .a, connectionbetweeri .th'e NZ1V6LSEGDliCiL said tire and said inflatable-tube;v

2.. In; a vehicle, havingian'axle; an axleihousing enclosing; said. axle, a. .wheel-. onsaidaxleaandi.

liquid communication, connection betwee said-.1 pressure'jndicaton -and said axle housing chamber, said means including a; flexible.tube-(coupled; at one end. to; said pressure indicator andatlits-V other, end tothe axle housing at a pointsbetween the positions of said spaced partitions;v and means responsiv to changes in air pressure in said pneumatic tire for altering the efiective volume of said axle housing chamber to correspondingly indicate on said indicator, changes in pressure occurring in said tire, said air pressure change responsive means including a passage through the Wheel mounting endof 'said axle anditerminating at a point' in said axlebetweensaid partitions; an inflatable tube encircling said axle within said chamber and coupled to said axle passage, and a connection between the inner tube of said tire and the wheel mounting end of said axle passage.

3: IIr-aavel'iicle having an axle, an axle housing enclosing said-axle; a wheel on said axle and including a pneumatic tire; the combination of means defining achamber within said axle housing for holding; liquid, said means including a pair of partitions encircling said axle Within said housingirr spaced relationship to each other; a pressure indicator adaptable for mounting on thedashboard' of such vehicle; said press-ure indicater i-ncludinge a liquideoiumn tube calibrated in terms of tire pressures;- means providing a? liquid communication connectionbetween said liquid column-tube and said axlehousing chamher, said means including as flexibletube coupled at aone. end to said-pressure indicator and at its other: end 'to tlieaxle housing at a pointbetween the positions o-f sai-d spacedpartitions; and-means responsive to changes in air:pressure-in-said pneumatic-tire:for altering the efiective vol-umeoi said L axle housing chamber:to -correspondingly varythe height of liquid -in said liquid column-tube whereby; to. indicatechang-es in: 1 pressureoccurring in said tire-,e said air pressure change-- responsive means including a passage th rouglrthe wheel mounting end loi 'said'iaxla and terminating at a point; in; said axle: between said partitionsan inflatable tube: encirclingt said Lame within said- 4G2 chamber: andscoupled: toasaid axle -passage;-and a'connection between the valve stem-o' 'said-- tire; and the wheelimounting: end of said axle passages.

REFERENCES CITED:-

Thefol-lowing references are' ofrecord in" the file of this pa-ten-t:

UNITED' STATES PATENTS. 

